Fastening device



Nov. 25, 1941. H. G. KNUTH FASTENING DEVICE Filed June 22, 1940 fare/f Patented Nev. 25, 1941 FASTENING DEVICE Harvey G. Knuth, Elgin, Ill., assignor to Crane Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application `lune 22, i940, Serial No. 341,887

4 Claims.

My invention relates to a fastening device and more particularly it pertains to a keyhole type of fastening device such as may be utilized in removably securing a removable rounded sheet metal corner member to a recessed corner -of a sheet metal cabinet. In the manufacture of sheet metal cabinets, Such as, for example, kitchen sink cabinets and the like, it is desirable and advantageous to provide each cabinet with front corner means for attaching thereto another cabinet whereby a contiguous set of cabinets may be formed. A convenient way of doing this is to provide recessed front corners on the individual cabinets to which filler members may be removably secured for Joining the adjacent cabinets. In the event that a cabinet is to be used either singly or forms an end section in a set of cabinets, the recessed front corner is preferably lled with a rounded member and the attachment thereto of the rounded corner member is illustrative of my present invention. However, it is to be clearly understood, of course, that my invention is capable of numerous installations other than the preferred application These and other objects and advantages will Fig. 3 is a view taken on the une of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the rounded corner member showing the manner in which the screw is attached thereto.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the cabinet corner showing the rounded member attached thereto.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the rounded member in a partially detached po-i sition.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views of the drawing.

In Fig. l I have shown a portion of a sheet metal cabinet, .generally designated I, having the base 2 thereof set back from the planes of' the sides to provide toe room for a person standing at the cabinet or sink. The corner of the cabinet is recessed, as at 3, for purposes hereinabove described, and in order to provide a rounded corner on the cabinet the member 4 is detachably secured thereto by the keyhole attachments shown at 5 and 6. In a cabinet of the usual height to be placed underl or adjacent a kitchensink it is ordinarily desirable to provide three or four keyhole attachments in substantially vertical alignment to properly hold the rounded corner member 4 in place.

To my knowledge keyhole apertures heretofore provided were merely plain cut-out apertures having the enlarged circular, or head receiving portion at the uppermost end thereof and the elongated or narrow portion of the' keyhole extendingI downwardly therefrom. Myinvention contemplates an improved keyhole which will provide a secure grip on the head ofthe projecting screw or other headed member extending through the keyhole regardless of the way in A which it is positioned. Further', in previous keyholes when it was desired to removethe attached piece -by sliding the screw head to the enlarged circular portion of the keyhole there was the objectionable tendency for the under side of the head to slide beyond and catch on the peripheral metal of the keyhole and thus seriously interfere with the easy removal of the attached piece.l In constructions like the example chosen for illustration herein where a plurality of keyhole attachments are usually provided, it can easily be seen that the latter tendency of the end peripheral portions of previous keyholes tocatch would make the matter of removal relatively diiiicult,`

especially because eac'h of the independent keyholes would necessarily have to be disengaged simultaneously. In contradistinction, in my invention the headed member which extends through the keyhole cannot catch on theperiph-y hole 'I comprises the enlarged circular portion and the usual elongated portion 9. The circular portiont however is provided with the guide lip il preferably formed by bending outwardly guiding surface I1 of the lip II.

the sheet metal surrounding the said circular portion. The elongated portion 9 is also provided with a wedging lip I2 having the angularly disposed wedging edge I3 which is designed to bear frictionally against the under side of the head of the projecting member or screw.

Fig. 4 shows in cross-section the manne-r in which the rounded corner member 4 is provided with the usual suitably positioned self-tapping screw I4, the head I5 thereof being slightly spaced apart from the wall to which the screw is attached so that it will extend through the keyhole opening. If desired, other headed means may of course be employed to extend through the keyhole, for example, a rivet, a Welded extension or an integral suitably headed projection may be provided without affecting the application of my invention.

Attention is now directed to the assembly view of Fig. 5 wherein the rounded member 4 is shown attached to the recessed corner portion 3 of the cabinet. It will be noted that the under surface I8 of the screw head I5 bears tightly and resiliently against the lip I2 and wedging edge I3 whereby even though the keyhole is in a relatively inverted position the removable member l will not have a tendency to become disengaged from the cabinet. The advantage gained by this construction will be evident in the example of a cabinetwhich is to be placed beneath a sink or else have some other relatively rigid cover or top placed thereon which cannot readily be lifted or ment upon said supporting structure including an aperture of substantially keyhole form, the enlarged substantially circular end limit of winch is provided with an inwardly inclined guide lip enclosing a substantial perimetral portion of an enlarged end of the aperture, the elongated portion of the keyhole aperture being defined by a perimetral continuously inclined lip, the greatest height ofsaid inclined lip beingr substantially at the end limit of the elongated portion of the aperture.

2. In a removable corner assembly of the character described, comprising a hollow corner kmember to be secured to a supporting structure having a recessed corner portion, means carried by said corner member for engagement with said supporting structure, -the said latter means including a holding means with a projecting head portion, the said corner member during course of assembly with the said supporting structure being movable axially relative to said supporting structure, said means of engagement upon said supporting structure including an aperture havguide lip enclosing a substantial perimetral porend slot portion being substantially bounded by removed when it is desired to attach or to detach A the corner member I. My invention permits the member 4 to be removed merely by sliding it downwardly so that the edge I3 is frictionally engaged by the undersurface I5 of the screw head I5. Thus conversely when in the attached position due to the said frictional engagement of the inclined edge I3 with the surface I6 the member I is held securely in the desired position.

Fig. 6 shows the member 4 in a partly detached position with the outer rounded surface portion of the screw. head I5 contacting the inner or From this view it is readily apparent that when the member 4 is in the process of being detached the screw head I5 is suitably guided so that it cannot slide beyond and catch on the peripheral edge of the circular portion 8 of the keyhole. Further, it will be evident that during assembly and when the head portion I5 is being inserted into the keyhole the guiding surface I1 also functions to urge the screw head toward the elongated open portion 9 of the keyhole.

the invention is more generally defined in the.

claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a removable corner assemblyl of the character described, comprising 'a hollow corner member to be secured to a corner recessed supporting structure and having a seating surface for contact therewith, means carried by said corner member for engagement with said supporting structure, the said latter means including threaded holding means, the said corner member during course of assembly with the said supporta continuously inclined raised lip, the height of said inclined lip being greatest ati the end of the latter mentioned slot.

3. A removable corner assembly comprising a corner member to be secured to a supporting structure having a recessed corner portion, means carried by said corner member for providing slidable engagement with said supporting structure during assembly therewith, the said engagement means including a headed member mounted upon said corner memberrand having a reduced neck portion for ;engagement of an aperture upon the said supporting structure, the aperture being of substantially keyhole form with an enlarged rounded end portion and an elongated portion, the said rounded portion hav ing its limits dened by a perimetral wall having an upper inclined edge,` the angle of inclination starting and continuing in a direction away from the juncture of the rounded end portion with the elongated portion of the aperture, the elongated portion of the aperture having an inclined lip around the perimetral portion thereof, the angle of inclination of said lip likewise starting and continuing in a direction away from the Vjuncture of the rounded end portion with the elongated portion of the aperture, the said corner member being movable axially, the limit of such movement being defined by the respective wall and lip, whereby at the limit of said axial movement in one direction the said headed member ing structure being` movable axially relative to said supporting structure, said 'MMM f" MHP contacts a portion of the inner surface of said perimetral wall thereby separating said corner member from said supporting structure, while at the other limit. of said axial'movement of said comer member in the opposite direction the headed member engages an upper surface of the inclined lip thereby drawing said corner member and said supporting structure together and `fricthe juncture of the rounded end portion with the elongated portion of the aperture, the elongated portion oi' the aperture having an inclined lip around the perimetral portion thereof, the angle oi inclination of s aid lip likewise starting and continuing in a direction away from the juncture oi' the rounded end portion with the elongated portion of the aperture. the lraid corner member being movable axially, the limit of such movement being denned' by the respective wall and lip, whereby at the limit of said axial movement in one direction the said rounded projection contacts a portion oi' the inner surface of said perimetral wall .thereby separating said corner member from said supporting structure, while at the other limit of said axial movement in the opposite direction the undersurface of the rounded' projection engages the upper surface of the inclined lip thereby drawing said corner member and said supporting structure together and frictionally maintaining these members in the latter position.

HARVEY G. KNUTH. 

